Reading the Vampire Academy Books
by booklion4
Summary: The vampire academy characters read the vampire academy books. This takes place in Spirit Bound after Rose visits Dimitri in jail. Don't forget to R&R.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N I know that this has been done before but I thought I'd give it a whack. Disclaimer: I don't own anything in italics._

POV: Dimitri's

I heard someone coming down the hallway to my cell. Who could it be? Not Rose. Hopefully. "Let me talk to him! Now!" said my own personal saviour, Lissa.

"No, we have orders."

"Well, what is this?" I hear a rustle of paper, "New order!" I hear the click of the cell unlocking and follow Lissa outside. The sun is warm and bright outside and I enjoy seeing it again. I missed it. We arrive to a meeting room all the way across court with a lot of people in it. Rose, Christian, Adrian, Mia, Eddie, Janine, Abe, Viktoria, Sonya, Karolina and my mother look up as soon as they hear the door open.

"Dimka?" says my little sister. She looked at me afraid at what she will find, she must like what she sees because she starts sobbing and throws herself onto me.

"Huh. I told you. What, did you think that I would lie to you?" I looked up and see Rose trying to look annoyed but failing because of the smile on her lips. I disconnect Viktoria from myself and look over at Rose.

"You flew my family out?"

"Yes, you're welcome." I didn't feel like starting an argument with her so I just changed the subject.

I asked, "What are we doing here?" She gestured to the crate on the table.

"We are reading my diaries."

"What?"

"Every girl keeps a diary and we will be reading all of mine from the day Lissa and I were dragged back to Vladimirs." I just nodded.

I was going to learn what Rose thought about me and everything that happened this last years. Would the events in Russia be there? Would I have to hear how I tortured and used Rose when she went to find me? Everything she did, she did it for me and all I ever did was torture her. I certainly didn't want to relive those months. At least I will get a better understanding of her. I always wanted to know what she was thinking. Even though we used to understand everything about each other, I always wondered what she thought about everything. Rose interrupted my thoughts asking a question.

"Okay guys, which one do you want to start with or do you want to go in chronological order?" I sat down in between Sonya and Viktoria, furthest away from Rose as I could manage.

"Wow, Rose, big word," Christian jibbed. I think he was trying to lessen? the tension in the room. Rose rolled her eyes and flipped him off. She laid out four books- Vampire Academy, Frostbite, Shadow Kiss, and Blood Promise. She was holding onto one- Spirit Bound. She noticed me looking at the book and said,

"This diary isn't finished yet but we can read it, if you want." I just shook my head and picked up the first one: Vampire Academy.

"Who wants to read first?" Everyone looks at Rose. She just shrugged and puts her hands up to catch the book. I toss it expertly to her and she opens the book to the first chapter.

_I felt her fear before I heard her screams_

Rose looked up and smirked at Lissa and went back to reading.

_Her nightmare pulsed into me shaking me out of my own dream, which had something to do with a beach and some hot guy rubbing suntan oil on me. _

_A weird feeling in my stomach appeared when I imagined that scene. Was I getting sick because of something I ate?_

Christian snorts and I look over at him. "Only Rose," he said, "Only Rose." Rose gave him the look and he shut up.

_Images-hers, not mine- tumbled through my mind :fire and blood the smell of smoke, the twisted metal of a car._

Rose shivered and leaned into Lissa.

_The pictures wrapped around me, suffocating me, until some rational part of my brain reminded me that this wasn't my dream. I woke up, strands of long, dark hair sticking to my forehead. Lissa lay in her bed, thrashing and screaming. I bolted out of mine, quickly crossing the few feet the separated us._

Everyone had gone eerie silent.

"_Liss," I said, shaking her. "Liss, wake up." Her screams dropped replaced by soft whimpers, "Andre," she moaned. "Oh God." I helped her sit up "Liss, you aren't there anymore. Wake up." After a few moments her eyes fluttered open and in the dim lighting I could see a flicker of consciousness start to take over. Her frantic breaths slowed and she leaned into me, resting her head against my shoulder. I put an arm around her and ran a hand over her hair._

Lissa shivered and Christian pulled her tight against him whispering soothing things in the ear. "Get a room," yelled about half the room that consisted of Rose, Adrian, Eddie, and Viktoria. Christian smirked and winked and Lissa blushed. Rose put them out of their misery by starting to read again.

"_Its okay," I told her gently, "Everything is okay." "I had that dream." "Yeah. I know."_

Rose paused and looked up at Lissa with longing in her eyes. Lissa only said, "I know Rose. Me too."

_We sat like that for several minutes, not saying anything else. When I felt her emotions calm down, I leaned over to the nightstand between our beds and turned on the lamp. It glowed dimly, but neither of us really needed much light to see by._

Christian snorted, cutting Rose off. "Do we really need to read everything we know?" Rose replied to Christin's comment with- "I haven't even started with the recap of the world yet." Christian asked the same question again. I was getting annoyed. All I really wanted to do was find out about Rose's pov of all our adventures. Wow, new emotion I had forgotten about, annoyance. Rose answered impatiently, "I wrote the diaries as if you could go to the store and buy it as a book." With all that settled she got back to reading.

_Attracted by the light, our housemate's cat, Oscar, leapt up onto the sill of the open window._

Lisa smiled fondly. "I remember that cat, such a good kitty." "Yeah, to you." Rose replied with a smile on those perfect lips.

_He gave me a wide berth- animals don't like dhampirs,_

"Rose, nobody likes you." Christian cracked another witty line that Rose responded to just as witty. "Yes they do, remember Sparky, I'm keeping your girlfriend sane."

_for whatever reason- but jumped onto the bed and rubbed his head against Lissa, purring softl_y. _Animals didn't have a problem with Moroi, and they all loved Lissa in particular. Smiling, she scratched his chin and I felt her calm further. "When did we last do a feeding?" I asked studying her face._

Rose's parents gasped in shock and everyone but me, Christian, Lissa, and Rose's jaw dropped. Rose could see everyone was about to have a cow so she continued reading.

_Her fair skin was paler than usual. Dark circles hng under her eyes and there was an air of fragility about her. School had been hectic this week and I couldn't remember the last time I'd given her blood. "Its been like… more than two days, hasn't it? Three? Why didn't you say anything?" She shrugged and wouldn't meet my eyes. "You were busy, I didn't want to-" "Screw that," I said, shifting into a better position. No wonder she seemed so weak. Oscar, not wanting me any closer, lept down and returned to the window where he could watch a safe distance. "Come one. Lets do this."_

I winced knowing what was coming. Lissa was going to drink from Rose just like I did. Viktoria looked over at my facial expression. I stood up and excused myself, I walked into the kitchen. What was wrong with me? I didn't love Rose anymore. Or did I? Ahh this was so confusing. After I got my feelings in check I walked back into the main room. I guess I missed some of the story because right now the girls were trying to escape.

_-screeching halt and I jerked Lissa back by her arm. It was him, the guys I'd seen across the street watching me._

I'm getting the feeling this is me. I voiced my thoughts. "Is this me?" I asked no one. Rose looked up surprised then snapped on her guardian mask, though I could see through it. She put on her smile that could make me fall to their knees in front of her and said, "You'll have to wait and see."

_He was older than us, maybe mid-twenties and as tall as I figured, probably six-six or six-seven. And under different circumstances- say, when he wasn't holding up our desperate escape- I would have thought he was hot._

Because I was the only one with that height in the team that found them I knew it was me. Did she really think I was hot the first time she saw me? It's not like I care, I don't care about her anymore, right?

Christian snorted; all of my sisters burst out laughing; Eddie smirked; Adrian, Janine, Abe, and Mia just shook their heads. As this story progressed I was starting to loosen up so I rolled my eyes. Rose caught that and yelled, "OMG Dimitri rolled his eyes!" This causing another eye roll "Are you drunk?" I asked. "Don't I wish," she echoed from a conversation that we had right before the lust charm. God, I thought, I hope that isn't in these 'diaries'

_Shoulder length brown hair, tied back in a short ponytail. Dark brown eyes. A long brown coat- a duster, I thought_

I stared, surprise she knew the technical term for my coat. "Don't look at me like that!" she huffed. Before I could play dumb she started reading again.

_But his hotness was irrelevant now. He was the only obstacle keeping Lissa and me away from the car our freedom. The footsteps behind us slowed, and I knew our pursuers had caught up. Off to the sides, I detected more movement, more people closing in._

"Good, Rose, very good." Janine was nodding approvingly to Rose. Rose started to glow with the compliment from her mother.

_God. They'd sent almost a dozen guardians to retrieve us. I couldn't believe it. The queen herself didn't travel with that many. Panicked and not entirely in control of my higher reasoning, I acted out of instinct. I pressed up to Lissa, keeping her behind me and away from the man who appeared to be their leader._

Janine complimented Rose again and she blushed. Rose Hathaway actually blushed. Last time I saw her blush she was laying next to me in the cabin. Pressed skin to skin-. No stop, I told myself, I don't love Rose. But don't you? When I finally ascended out of my thoughts I noticed I missed some more of the story, again.

_-Probably just intended to keep me away- but my lack of coordination interfered with my ability to respond. Unable to catch my footing, I started to fall, heading straight toward the sidewalk at a twisted angle, hip-first. It was going to hurt, a lot. Only it didn't. Just as quickly as he'd blocked me, the man reached out and caught my arm, keeping me upright. When I'd steadied myself I noticed he was staring at me- or, more precisely, my neck._

Rose flushed, obsessively embarrassed that she let Lissa (and me) feed off her. Karoline spoke up, "It's okay, Rose, the endorphins are very hard to get out of your system and very easy to get addicted to. Trust me, I would know." Karoline said this kind of guilty but I was wondering when she'd let someone drink from her. Rose looked equally surprised and thankful that she was not the only one that was in that position. Rose started to read again par Karoline's request.

_Still disoriented, I didn't get it right away. Then slowly, my free hand reached up to the side of my throat and lightly touched the wound Lissa had made earlier. When I pulled my fingers back, I saw slick, dark blood on my skin. Embarrassed, I shook my hair so that it fell around my face. My hair was thick and long and completely covered my neck. I'd grown it out for precisely this reason._

Sure, I thought, that was why you grew it out. It wasn't because I loved running my fingers through it and asked you not to cut it. Rose seemed to be thinking the same thing because her eyes caught mine. Her dark eyes that was exactly the color of melted dark chocolate. I wanted to get lost in those eyes. I looked away first, breaking the spell. I saw hurt flash before her eyes but to cover it she continued reading.

_The guy's dark eyes lingered on the now-covered bite a moment longer and then met mine. I returned his look definitely and quickly jerked out of his hold. He let me go, though I knew he could have restrained me all night if he'd wanted. Fighting the nauseating dizziness, I backed toward Lissa again bracing myself for another attack. Suddenly, her hand caught hold of mine. "Rose," she said quietly, "Don't." Her words had no effect of me at first, but calming thoughts gradually began to settle in my mind, coming across though the bond. It wasn't exactly compulsion-she wouldn't use that on me-but it was effectual, as was the fact that we were hopelessly outnumbered and outclassed. Even I knew struggling would be pointless. The tension left my body, and I sagged in defeat. Sensing my resignation, the man stepped forward, the man stepped forward, turning his attention to Lissa. His face was calm. He swept her a bow and managed to look graceful doing it, which surprised me considering his height. "My name is Dimitri Belikov," he said. I could hear a faint Russian accent. "I've come to take you back to St. Vladimir's Academy, Princess."_

Rose threw the book on the coffee table but not before putting an index card in it to hold her spot. "Lets get something to eat then we can continue?" Rose suggested this and everyone thought that was a good idea. My mother spoke up, "Who wants to read next?" Lissa volunteered and we went to get something to eat leaving the diary to wait until we get back.

_A/N So what do we think? I was thinking to do the next chapter in Rose's pov? What do you think? Please review. Thank you my beautiful beta MarySilvaLyon. She has enhanced this story to its full potential. Luv u._


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N I knew ideas for drabbles/stories for TMI and VA. __**Disclaimer:**_ _I don't own Vampire Academy. Thank you to my beautiful Beta: MarySilvaLyon_

Pov: Rose Hathaway

After getting something to eat, with the tension between Dimitri and I so thick you could cut it with a butter knife, we started to head back to the meeting room. After (we go) through the first chapter I thought Dimitri would lighten up a little, but he didn't. It wasn't like I expected him to profess his undying love for me or anything but I was hoping to get a reaction out of him. These diaries were my last ditch effort to try and show him how my love for him never wavered.I really hope it makes him understand why I still want him We settled ourselves back in the meeting room with Dimitri sitting in the middle of Karolina and Olena on the small couch. On the large couch sat my mother, my father, Lissa, Christian, and Sonya. On the loveseat sat Viktoria and me with Adrian sitting on the ground by my feet. Eddie and Mia ditched after lunch to go do 'work'. If you ask me they bailed for sex. They kind of had a thing for each other. I picked up Vampire Academy and gave it to Lissa since she can't catch at all. She started to read.

_My hatred, notwithstanding, I had to admit Dimitri Beli-whatever was pretty smart. After they'd carted us off to the airport to and onto the Academy's private jet, he'd taken one look at the two of us whispering and ordered us separated. "Don't let them talk to each other," he warned the guardian who escorted me to the back of the plane. "Five minutes together, and they will come up with an escape plan." I shot him a haughty look and stormed down the aisle. Never mind we had been planning an escape plan._

"Of course you were, Rose." Christian decided to interrupt at this exact moment when I was questioning if reading my most personal thought out loud was a good idea. I responded with a snappy retort. Hey, what could I say? I was Rose Hathaway

"Well, What would you do in my position, Mr. Bright Ideas?" He put his hands up in surrender.

_As it was, things didn't look good for our heroes—or heroines, rather. Once we were in the air, our odds of escape dropped further. Even supposing a miracle occurred and I did manage to take out all ten guardians, we'd sort of have a problem in getting off the plane. I figured they might have parachutes aboard somewhere, but in the unlikely event I'd be able to operate one, there was still that little issue of survival, seeing as we'd probably land somewhere in the Rocky Mountains._

_No, we weren't getting off this plane until it landed in backwoods Montana. I'd have to think of something then, something that involved getting past the Academy's magical wards and ten times as many guardians. Yeah. No problem._

_Although Lissa sat at the front with the Russian guy, her fear sang back to me, pounding inside my head like a hammer. My concern for her cut into my fury. They couldn't take her back there, not to that place. I wondered if Dimitri might have hesitated if he could feel what I did and if he knew what I knew. Probably not. He didn't care._

Dimitri looked offended and said "Of course I cared." I nodded like sure you did, you just wanted to make us as embarrassed as possible as punishment. Well, how 'bout this buddy? I don't care anymore. I nodded for Lissa to keep reading.

I'm not sure if she would think that about Dimitri.. I think she believes him, because she knows him better now. That is why I think she should answer him something along the lines of "Yeah.. now I know that. But it is too late.. isn´t it?"

_As it was, her emotions grew so strong that for a moment, I had the disorienting sensation of sitting in her seat—in her skin even. It happened sometimes, and without much warning, she'd pull me right into her head. Dimitri's tall frame sat beside me, and my hand—her hand—gripped a bottle of water. He leaned forward to pick up something, revealing six tiny symbols tattooed on the back of his neck: molnija marks. They looked like two streaks of jagged lightning crossing in an X symbol. One for each Strigoi he'd killed. Above them was a twisting line, sort of like a snake, that marked him as a guardian. The promise mark._

_Blinking, I fought against her and shifted back into my own head with a grimace. I hated when that happened. Feeling Lissa's emotions was one thing, but slipping into her was something we both despised. She saw it as an invasion of privacy, so I usually didn't tell her when it happened. Neither of us could control it. It was another effect of the bond, a bond neither of us fully understood. Legends existed about psychic links between guardians and their Moroi, but the stories had never mentioned anything like this. We fumbled through it as best we could._

I nodded my head thinking of all of Christian and Lissa's late night activities. Lissa looked outraged. "You didn't tell me. You promised!"

I knew that Lisa was freaking out because of the darkness so I absorbed it and said, "Lissa, I didn't tell you because I didn't want you freaking out or worrying." She just nodded her head and went back to reading.

_Near the end of the flight, Dimitri walked back to where I sat and traded places with the guardian beside me. I pointedly turned away, staring out the window absentmindedly Several moments of silence passed. Finally, he said, "Were you really going to attack all of us?"_

_I didn't answer._

_"Doing that…protecting her like that—it was very brave." He paused. "Stupid, but still brave. Why did you even try it?"_

_I glanced over at him, brushing my hair out of my face so I could look him levelly in the eye. "Because I'm her guardian." I turned back toward the window._

_After another quiet moment, he stood up and returned to the front of the jet._

Adrian looked up at me from the ground and just stared then looked away from me again. I had no idea what that was about but if I had to guess, he was reading my aura. Dimitri's family has been silent other than conversing in tones that I could hear but turned out to give them a moment.

_When we landed, Lissa and I had no choice but to let the commandos drive us out to the Academy. Our car stopped at the gate, and our driver spoke with guards who verified we weren't Strigoi about to go off on a killing spree. After a minute, they let us pass on through the wards and up to the Academy itself. It was around sunset—the start of the vampiric day—and the campus lay wrapped in shadows._

_It probably looked the same, sprawling and gothic. The Moroi were big on tradition; nothing ever changed with them. This school wasn't as old as the ones back in Europe, but it had been built in the same style. The buildings boasted elaborate, almost churchlike architecture, with high peaks and stone carvings. Wrought iron gates enclosed small gardens and doorways here and there. After living on a college campus, I had a new appreciation for just how much this place resembled a university more than a typical high school._

_We were on the secondary campus, which was divided into lower and upper schools. Each was built around a large open quadrangle decorated with stone paths and enormous, century-old trees. We were going toward the upper school's quad, which had academic buildings on one side, while dhampir dormitories and the gym sat opposite. Moroi dorms sat on one of the other ends, and opposite them were the administrative buildings that also served the lower school. Younger students lived on the primary campus, farther to the west._

_Around all the campuses was space, space, and more space. We were in Montana, after all, miles away from any real city. The air felt cool in my lungs and smelled of pine and wet, decaying leaves. Overgrown forests ringed the perimeters of the Academy, and during the day, you could see mountains rising up in the distance._

_As we walked into the main part of the upper school, I broke from my guardian and ran up to Dimitri._

_"Hey, Comrade."_

Viktoria grinned and said, "So how did you come up with that ridiculous nickname?" I told her it was in the books and she leaned forward a bit.

_He kept walking and wouldn't look at me. "You want to talk now?_

_"Are you taking us to Kirova?"_

_"Headmistress Kirova," he corrected. On the other side of him, Lissa shot me a look that said, Don't start something._

_"Headmistress. Whatever. She's still a self-righteous old bit—"_

_My words faded as the guardians led us through a set of doors-straight into the commons. I sighed. Were these people really so cruel? There had to be at least a dozen ways to get to Kirova's office, and they were taking us right through the center of the commons._

_And it was breakfast time._

_Novice guardians—dhampirs like me—and Moroi sat together, eating and socializing, faces alight with whatever current gossip held the Academy's attention. When we entered, the loud buzz of conversation stopped instantly, like someone had flipped a switch. Hundreds of sets of eyes swiveled toward us._

"I never thought about how uncomfortable it would be for you two. Passing through the commons was the most efficient way to reach Headmistress Kirova's office. Sorry " Dimitri said, sounding truthfully sorry. I thought that was a improvement over his uninterested attitude against everything related to me.

_I returned the stares of my former classmates with a lazy grin, trying to get a sense as to whether things had changed. Nope. Didn't seem like it. Camille Conta still looked like the prim, perfectly groomed bitch I remembered, still the self-appointed leader of the Academy's royal Moroi cliques. Off to the side, Lissa's gawky near-cousin Natalie watched with wide eyes, as innocent and naïve as before._

Lissa and I grinned at each other remembering Natalie and all her awkwardness before Dimitri staked her.

_And on the other side of the room…well, that was interesting. Aaron. Poor, poor Aaron, who'd no doubt had his heart broken when Lissa left. He still looked as cute as ever—maybe more so now—with those same golden looks that complemented hers so well. His eyes followed her every move. Yes. Definitely not over her. It was sad, really, because Lissa had never really been all that into him. I think she'd gone out with him simply because it seemed like the expected thing to do._

_But what I found most interesting was that Aaron had apparently found a way to pass the time without her. Beside him, holding his hand, was a Moroi girl who looked about eleven but had to be older, unless he'd become a pedophile during our absence. With plump little cheeks and blond ringlets, she looked like a porcelain doll. A very pissed off and evil porcelain doll. She gripped his hand tightly and shot Lissa a look of such burning hatred that it stunned me. What the hell was that all about? She was no one I knew. Just a jealous girlfriend, I guessed. I'd be pissed too if my guy was watching someone else like that._

At this, Dimitri looked my way. Was he curious about how jealous was I when we were together?. Well, if nothing changes, he will never know...

_Our walk of shame mercifully ended, though our new setting—Headmistress Kirova's office—didn't really improve things. The old hag looked exactly like I remembered, sharp-nosed and gray-haired. She was tall and slim, like most Moroi, and had always reminded me of a vulture. I knew her well because I'd spent a lot of time in her office._

_"_Understatement of the year?" said Christian. I simply agreed. It was an understatement, after all.

_Most of our escorts left us once Lissa and I were seated, and I felt a little less like a prisoner. Only Alberta, the captain of the school's guardians, and Dimitri stayed. They took up positions along the wall, looking stoic and terrifying, just as their job description required._

_Kirova fixed her angry eyes on us and opened her mouth to begin what would no doubt be a major bitch session. A deep, gentle voice stopped her._

_"Vasilisa."_

Lissa, Dimitri, Christian, and I all flinched and grimaced knowing who said that.

_Startled, I realized there was someone else in the room. I hadn't noticed. Careless for a guardian, even a novice one._

My mother said, who had been silent along with my father most of this, "Really Rose? I thought you were top of your class." That was a line crossed and my feeble self control snapped.

"Are you kidding me? Top of my class? I could have half of this room down in the time it could take you to stand up! You saw me at trials! I kicked ass! You have no right to say that when you didn't visit until I was 17! If you wanted me to be better, and I'm not even sure that is possible, then you should have trained me!" I sat back down panting and nodded to Lissa to keep reading. She did but hesitantly. My mom looked like she understood what I was saying.. finally.

_With a great deal of effort, Victor Dashkov rose from a corner chair. Prince Victor Dashkov. Lissa sprang up and ran to him, throwing her arms around his frail body._

_"Uncle," she whispered. She sounded on the verge of tears as she tightened her grip._

_With a small smile, he gently patted her back. "You have no idea how glad I am to see you safe, Vasilisa." He looked toward me. "And you too, Rose."_

_I nodded back, trying to hide how shocked I was. He'd been sick when we left, but this—this was horrible. He was Natalie's father, only about forty or so, but he looked twice that age. Pale. Withered. Hands shaking. My heart broke watching him. With all the horrible people in the world, it didn't seem fair that this guy should get a disease that was going to kill him young and ultimately keep him from becoming king._

_Although not technically her uncle—the Moroi used family terms very loosely, especially the royals—Victor was a close friend of Lissa's family and had gone out of his way to help her after her parents had died. I liked him; he was the first person I was happy to see here._

_Kirova let them have a few more moments and then stiffly drew Lissa back to her seat._

_Time for the lecture._

No one dare interrupt knowing that I was on the verge of ripping their heads off.

_It was a good one—one of Kirova's best, which was saying something. She was a master at them. I swear that was the only reason she'd gone into school administration, because I had yet to see any evidence of her actually liking kids. The rant covered the usual topics: responsibility reckless behavior, self-centeredness…Bleh. I immediately found myself spacing out, alternatively pondering the logistics of escaping through the window in her office._

_But when the tirade shifted to me—well, that was when I tuned back in._

_"You, Miss Hathaway, broke the most sacred promise among our kind: the promise of a guardian to protect a Moroi. It is a great trust. A trust that you violated by selfishly taking the princess away from here. The Strigoi would love to finish off the Dragomirs; you nearly enabled them to do it."_

_"Rose didn't kidnap me." Lissa spoke before I could, her voice and face calm, despite her uneasy feelings. "I wanted to go. Don't blame her."_

_Ms. Kirova tsked at us both and paced the office, hands folded behind her narrow back._

_"Miss Dragomir, you could have been the one who orchestrated the entire plan for all I know, but it was still her responsibility to make sure you didn't carry it out. If she'd done her duty, she would have notified someone. If she'd done her duty, she would have kept you safe."_

_I snapped._

As we all know I have horrible control. For those of you who don't know, well now you do.

_"I did do my duty!" I shouted, jumping up from my chair. Dimitri and Alberta both flinched but left me alone since I wasn't trying to hit anyone. Yet. "I did keep her safe! I kept her safe when none of you"—I made a sweeping gesture around the room—"could do it. I took her away to protect her. I did what I had to do. You certainly weren't going to."_

_Through the bond, I felt Lissa trying to send me calming messages, again urging me not to let anger get the best of me. Too late._

_Kirova stared at me, her face blank. "Miss Hathaway, forgive me if I fail to see the logic of how taking her out of a heavily guarded, magically secured environment is protecting her. Unless there's something you aren't telling us?"_

_I bit my lip._

_"I see. Well, then. By my estimation, the only reason you left—aside from the novelty of it, no doubt—was to avoid the consequences of that horrible, destructive stunt you pulled just before your disappearance."_

_"No, that's not—"_

_"And that only makes my decision that much easier. As a Moroi, the princess must continue on here at the Academy for her own safety, but we have no such obligations to you. You will be sent away as soon as possible."_

_My cockiness dried up. "I…what?"_

_Lissa stood up beside me. "You can't do that! She's my guardian."_

_"She is no such thing, particularly since she isn't even a guardian at all. She's still a novice."_

_"But my parents—"_

_"I know what your parents wanted, God rest their souls, but things have changed. Miss Hathaway is expendable. She doesn't deserve to be a guardian, and she will leave."_

_I stared at Kirova, unable to believe what I was hearing. "Where are you going to send me? To my mom in Nepal? Did she even know I was gone? Or maybe you'll send me off to my father?"_

Both of my parents winced and I didn't even care, I stared at Dimitri. He was always a calming presence when I was pissed, even if I was pissed at him too.

_Her eyes narrowed at the bite in that last word. When I spoke again, my voice was so cold, I barely recognized it._

_"Or maybe you're going to try to send me off to be a blood whore. Try that, and we'll be gone by the end of the day."_

_"Miss Hathaway," she hissed, "you are out of line."_

_"They have a bond." Dimitri's low, accented voice broke the heavy tension, and we all turned toward him. I think Kirova had forgotten he was there, but I hadn't. His presence was way too powerful to ignore. _

Christian snorted. "You fell for him pretty quickly, didn't you?" he said jokingly, but when he noticed that it wasn't funny for neither of us, he let it go. During that time, Dimitri looked at me like he was trying to figure out the same thing.

_He still stood against the wall, looking like some sort of cowboy sentry in that ridiculous long coat of his. He looked at me, not Lissa, his dark eyes staring straight through me. "Rose knows what Vasilisa is feeling. Don't you?"_

_I at least had the satisfaction of seeing Kirova caught off guard as she glanced between us and Dimitri. "No…that's impossible. That hasn't happened in centuries."_

_"It's obvious," he said. "I suspected as soon as I started watching them."_

_Neither Lissa nor I responded, and I averted my eyes from his._

_"That is a gift," murmured Victor from his corner. "A rare and wonderful thing."_

I was so close to just screaming out "No one cares what you think bitch! My god!" But I didn't.

_The best guardians always had that bond," added Dimitri. "In the stories."_

_Kirova's outrage returned. "Stories that are centuries old," she exclaimed. "Surely you aren't suggesting we let her stay at the Academy after everything she's done?"_

_He shrugged. "She might be wild and disrespectful, but if she has potential—"_

_"Wild and disrespectful?" I interrupted. "Who the hell are you anyway? Outsourced help?"_

_"Guardian Belikov is the princess's guardian now," said Kirova. "Her sanctioned guardian."_

_"You got cheap foreign labor to protect Lissa?"_

_That was pretty mean of me to say—particularly since most Moroi and their guardians were of Russian or Romanian descent—but the comment seemed cleverer at the time than it really was. And it wasn't like I was one to talk. I might have been raised in the U.S., but my parents were foreign-born. My dhampir mother was Scottish—red-haired, with a ridiculous accent—and I'd been told my Moroi dad was Turkish. That genetic combination had given me skin the same color as the inside of an almond, along with what I liked to think were semi-exotic desert-princess features: big dark eyes and hair so deep brown that it usually looked black. I wouldn't have minded inheriting the red hair, but we take what we get._

I was kind of glad that I didn't have red hair since Dimitri loves- well loved- my hair. I should probably get it cut since he was so indifferent now.

_Kirova threw her hands up in exasperation and turned to him. "You see? Completely undisciplined! All the psychic bonds and very raw potential in the world can't make up for that. A guardian without discipline is worse than no guardian."_

_"So teach her discipline. Classes just started. Put her back in and get her training again."_

_"Impossible. She'll still be hopelessly behind her peers."_

_"No, I won't," I argued. No one listened to me._

_"Then give her extra training sessions," he said._

_They continued on while the rest of us watched the exchange like it was a Ping-Pong game. My pride was still hurt over the ease with which Dimitri had tricked us, but it occurred to me that he might very well keep me here with Lissa. Better to stay at this hellhole than be without her. Through our bond, I could feel her trickle of hope._

_"Who's going to put in the extra time?" demanded Kirova. "You?"_

_Dimitri's argument came to an abrupt stop. "Well, that's not what I—"_

Dimitri's mother started to chastise him for not being willing to take in a new student. I interpreted, "No, Olena, no. I was a bad child and I swear that the only respon your son took me on was because he wanted to prove something."

Dimitri commented, "Actually I took you on because you were protective of Lissa and had the makings of a great guardian," he turned back to his mother, "It is true that she is bad. When I volunteered to mentor her I got sympathetic looks for a week."

_Kirova crossed her arms with satisfaction. "Yes. That's what I thought."_

_Clearly at a loss, he frowned. His eyes flicked toward Lissa and me, and I wondered what he saw. Two pathetic girls, looking at him with big, pleading eyes? Or two runaways who'd broken out of a high-security school and swiped half of Lissa's inheritance?_

_"Yes," he said finally. "I can mentor Rose. I'll give her extra sessions along with her normal ones."_

_"And then what?" retorted Kirova angrily. "She goes unpunished?"_

_"Find some other way to punish her," answered Dimitri. "Guardian numbers have gone down too much to risk losing another. A girl, in particular."_

_His unspoken words made me shudder, reminding me of my earlier statement about "blood whores." Few dhampir girls became guardians anymore._

_Victor suddenly spoke up from his corner. "I'm inclined to agree with Guardian Belikov. Sending Rose away would be a shame, a waste of talent."_

_Ms. Kirova stared out her window. It was completely black outside. With the Academy's nocturnal schedule, morning and afternoon were relative terms. That, and they kept the windows tinted to block out excess light._

_When she turned back around, Lissa met her eyes. "Please, Ms. Kirova. Let Rose stay."_

_Oh, Lissa, I thought. Be careful. Using compulsion on another Moroi was dangerous—particularly in front of witnesses. But Lissa was only using a tiny bit, and we needed all the help we could get. Fortunately, no one seemed to realize what was happening._

_I don't even know if the compulsion made a difference, but finally, Kirova sighed._

_"If Miss Hathaway stays, here's how it will be." She turned to me. "Your continued enrollment at St. Vladimir's is strictly probationary. Step out of line once, and you're gone. You will attend all classes and required trainings for novices your age. You will also train with Guardian Belikov in every spare moment you have—before and after classes. Other than that, you are banned from all social activities, except meals, and will stay in your dorm. Fail to comply with any of this, and you will be sent…away."_

_I gave a harsh laugh. "Banned from all social activities? Are you trying to keep us apart?" I nodded toward Lissa. "Afraid we'll run away again?"_

_"I'm taking precautions. As I'm sure you recall, you were never properly punished for destroying school property. You have a lot to make up for." Her thin lips tightened into a straight line. "You are being offered a very generous deal. I suggest you don't let your attitude endanger it."_

_I started to say it wasn't generous at all, but then I caught Dimitri's gaze. It was hard to read. He might have been telling me he believed in me. He might have been telling me I was an idiot to keep fighting with Kirova. I didn't know._

For the look in Dimitri's eyes now, I think it was the former. "So, wich one was it?" I ask. I always wondered what he thought of me.

"I knew you could do it. You clearly had the talent and the determination. You simply needed the right push" His eyes shone some new emotion. Pride maybe?


	3. Chapter 3

**I love this girl who make everything that I write have that extra zing to it. My girl. Your girl. ****MarySilvaLyon. Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Academy. Reviews are alwasy nice incentive to write. ;) ;)**

Adrian started with a dramatic, "Chapter 3…"

_SENDING US STRAIGHT TO CLASS after our meeting seemed beyond cruel, but that's exactly what Kirova did. Lissa was led away, and I watched her go, glad the bond would allow me to keep reading her emotional temperature._

_They actually sent me to one of the guidance counselors first. He was an ancient Moroi guy, one I remembered from before I'd left. I honestly couldn't believe he was still around. The guy was so freaking old, he should have retired. Or died._

Christian burst out laughing and Abe started to stand. "I should be going now," Abe said, "I have some business to attend to." That left us with my family, Rose, Lissa, Adrian, Christian, and Rose's mom. It was true, I thought, the counselor was older but I wouldn't say it the same way Rose did. How would I say it?... By the time I came out of my mind thinking about that stupid cabin, Adrian had collected himself and had continued reading.

_Walking behind them, I saw how Alberta wore her hair in a short, pixie cut that showed her promise mark and molnija marks. A lot of female guardians did this. It didn't matter so much for me now, since my neck had no tattoos yet, but I didn't want to ever cut my hair._

Good, I didn't ever want Rose to cut her hair. No matter if I couldn't love her because of the horrible things I did to Rose I did still care for her and I knew if she kept pushing then I would say something to ruin our past and that was too precious to ruin.

_She and Dimitri didn't say anything and walked along almost like it was any other day. When we arrived, the reactions of my peers indicated it was anything but. They were in the middle of setting up when we entered the gym, and just like in the commons, all eyes fell on me. I couldn't decide if I felt like a rock star or a circus freak._

_All right, then. If I was going to be stuck here for a while, I wasn't going to act afraid of them all anymore. Lissa and I had once held this school's respect, and it was time to remind everyone of that. Scanning the staring, open mouthed novices, I looked for a familiar face. Most of them were guys. One caught my eye, and I could barely hold back my grin._

_"Hey Mason, wipe the drool off your face. If you're going to think about me naked, do it on your own time."_

Rose sucked in a breath and I could see in her eyes that she stilled blamed herself for her friend dying. My poor Roza. No Dimitri, shes not yours. She's Ivashkovs now.

_A few snorts and snickers broke the awed silence, and Mason Ashford snapped out of his haze, giving me a lopsided smile. With red hair that stuck up everywhere and a smattering of freckles, he was nice-looking, though not exactly hot. He was also one of the funniest guys I knew. We'd been good friends back in the day._

Viktoria snorted, " Really, Rose, back in the day?" I shook my head and smiled to myself. Rose was a character. She was smart, funny, brave, could come up with a witty line just like that… I kept envisioning dirty scenarios that I could get her to be open to me, preferably with her screaming my name. I tuned back in right around that Rose admitted that she didn't know something. That is a first.

_"Come on, Hathaway," he said, taking my arm. "You can be my partner. Let's see what you've been doing all this time."_

_An hour later, he had his answer._

_"Not practicing, huh?"_

_"Ow," I groaned, momentarily incapable of normal speech._

_He extended a hand and helped me up from the mat he'd knocked me down on—about fifty times._

_"I hate you," I told him, rubbing a spot on my thigh that was going to have a wicked bruise tomorrow._

_"You'd hate me more if I held back."_

_"Yeah, that's true," I agreed, staggering along as the class put the equipment back._

_"You actually did okay."_

_"What? I just had my ass handed to me."_

_"Well, of course you did. It's been two years. But hey, you're still walking. That's something." He grinned mockingly._

_"Did He flashed me another smile, which quickly faded to something more serious. "Don't take this the wrong way…I mean, you really are a scrapper, but there's no way you'll be able to take your trials in the spring—"_

_"They're making me take extra practice sessions," I explained. Not that it mattered. I planned on getting Lissa and me out of here before these practices really became an issue. "I'll be ready."_

She thought about that? I knew it... The Rose Hathaway I know and lo..I stopped myself right there.. I didn't love her anymore. I couldn't. Well, she definitely was not the type of girl and guardian that would let Vasilisa to suffer through anything only because she had been taken back to the Academy

_"Extra sessions with who?"_

_"That tall guy. Dimitri."_

_Mason stopped walking and stared at me. "You're putting in extra time with Belikov?"_

_"Yeah, so what?"_

_"So the man is a god."_

I had an aha moment. So that was where she got it from. I voiced what I just thought and Rose responded with something that surprised me she said, "Yeah, but that was really the all round opinion." She kicked Adrian slightly to have him start reading again.

_"Exaggerate much?" I asked._

_"No, I'm serious. I mean, he's all quiet and antisocial usually, but when he fights…wow. If you think you're hurting now, you're going to be dead when he's done with you."_

"Anyone else thinks that sounds really dirty?" Adrian commented. After getting the second meaning of the sentence in the book, I started imagining the scene. After stopping the trail of thoughts, I looked at Rose and saw she was blushing. . Is there any chance she was thinking the same as me? A weird feeling spreaded through my body. That had to be wrong, I couldn't feel those kinds of things anymore... could I?

_Great. Something else to improve my day._

_I elbowed him and went on to second period. That class covered the essentials of being a bodyguard and was required for all seniors. Actually, it was the third in a series that had started junior year. That meant I was behind in this class too, but I hoped protecting Lissa in the real world had given me some insight._

_Our instructor was Stan Alto, whom we referred to simply as "Stan" behind his back and "Guardian Alto" in formal settings. He was a little older than Dimitri, but not nearly as tall, and he always looked pissed off. Today, that look intensified when he walked into the classroom and saw me sitting there. His eyes widened in mock surprise as he circled the room and came to stand beside my desk._

_"What's this? No one told me we had a guest speaker here today. Rose Hathaway. What a privilege! How very generous of you to take time out of your busy schedule and share your knowledge with us."_

_I felt my cheeks burning, but in a great show of self-control, I stopped myself from telling him to fuck off. I'm pretty sure my face must have delivered that message, however, because his sneer increased. He gestured for me to stand up._

Uh. I forgot how annoying Stan was. I have never seen red anytime but I saw it when he put Rose on spot. I fantasized about 11 different ways to kill Stan and missed some of the story.

_"Sometimes." That was true—especially when we'd first run away. We'd relaxed a little after months went by with no attacks._

_"Sometimes," he repeated in a high-pitched voice, making my answer sound incredibly stupid. "Well then, I suppose you slept during the day and stayed on guard at night."_

_"Er…no."_

_"No? But that's one of the first things mentioned in the chapter on solo guarding. Oh wait, you wouldn't know that because you weren't here."_

_I swallowed back more swear words. "I watched the area whenever we went out," I said, needing to defend myself._

_"Oh? Well that's something. Did you use Carnegie's Quadrant Surveillance Method or the Rotational Survey?"_

_I didn't say anything._

_"Ah. I'm guessing you used the Hathaway Glance-Around-When-You-Remember-To Method."_

I heard a gasp and whipped my head around to look at Janine. She looked like she was about to rip someones head off. Rose started laughing and I had no idea why. She voiced what was going on in her head. "She takes offense to that," she explained, "She's a Hathaway too." We all rolled our eyes and continued reading.

She might not feel badass but she certainly was. I heard that she kicked major ass at trials even though I wasn't there. Oh how I wanted to be there, so bad. I still had the present I bought her for graduation. Alberta came and gave it to me when she came and visited me after my restoration.

"Really, Rose, Doll Girl?" Lissa just smiled and shook her head. Rose laughed and flipped that hair that I totally love. "Yep." she said with that smile. I was staring. I realized that I was falling for this girl again. Or, maybe, I never stopped loving her.


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N I think that I will be switching back and forth between povs for this story. Love it, hate it, maybe. Tell Me! __**Disclaimer: I don't own VA **__P.S. Sorry it has been so long since I updated._

Rose Pov

I sighed and sat back against the couch. These books were really wearing my patience thin. Going back through these past emotions is making me realize that I am or never was in to Adrian. And was it just me or was Dimitri staring at me? God, this was so confusing. Feeling a headache coming on I rubbed my temple with the tips of my fingers.

I was tired, hungry, missed Eddie and Mia. "Why don't we call it a night?" Everyone stood up and said goodbye and left. Well, everyone except Dimitri. Which left me in the room alone with Dimitri.

Should I leave, say something, or throw up? Probably not the later. I started going around the room and cleaning up. Dimitri started helping me and soon we were done. During cleaning up we did not speak one word to each other. I gathered up my phone and things and turn to leave. Dimitri, however, had other ideas.

He blocked the door and looked like he wanted to say something. I inwardly sighed. Really now? I'm tired! "Dimitri, I don't want to hear how much your hate me or that I should never talk to you again," he opened his mouth presumably to say something but I held up my hand, "I'm tired and with Adrain. I'm over you." No I wasn't.

I walked home and cried for Dimitri and me, for what we had, for what we will never have again, and for all the happy moments training, laughing, and running.

The next morning after a shower and hot breakfast I walked into the meeting room where Lissa, Christian, Dimitri, his siblings, Olena, Adrian, Mia, Eddie, my mom, my dad, Alberta, and Sydney were- Wait _Sydney_. As in Sydney Sydney? I thought she was in Russia. Oh well, weirder things have happened. I picked up the book and handed it to Christian. I then sat down between Victoria and Olena on their request and Dimitri's disapproval. Christian started reading.

_WE DIDN'T HAVE THE ENTIRE commons' attention this time, thank God, but a few passing people had stopped to stare._

_"What the hell do you think you're doing?" asked Doll Girl, blue eyes wide and sparkling with fury. Up close now, I was able to get a better look at her. She had the same slim build as most Moroi but not the usual height, which was partly what made her look so young. The tiny purple dress she wore was gorgeous—reminding me that I was indeed dressed in thrift-shop wear—but closer inspection led me to think it was a designer knockoff._

Mia snorted and rolled her eyes, "Oh thanks Rose."

_I crossed my arms across my chest. "Are you lost, little girl? The elementary school's over on west campus."_

_A pink flush spread over her cheeks. "Don't you ever touch me again. You screw with me, and I'll screw you right back."_

_Oh man, what an opening that was. Only a head shake from Lissa stopped me from unleashing any number of hilarious comebacks. Instead, I opted for simple brute force, so to speak._

"Thats never a good sign," says Alberta. I feinted hurt.

_"And if you mess with either of us again, I'll break you in half. If you don't believe me, go ask Dawn Yarrow about what I did to her arm in ninth grade. You were probably at nap time when it happened."_

"Rose that is not something to brang about," says my mother.

"Oh, come on Janie, I'm proud of her," said a very smug Abe.

_The incident with Dawn hadn't been one of my finer moments. I honestly hadn't expected to break any bones when I shoved her into a tree. Still, the incident had given me a dangerous reputation, in addition to my smartass one. The story had gained legendary status, and I liked to imagine that it was still being told around campfires late at night. Judging from the look on this girl's face, it was._

_One of the patrolling staff members strolled by right then, casting suspicious eyes at our little meeting. Doll Girl backed off, taking Aaron's arm. "Come on," she said._

_"Hey, Aaron," I said cheerfully, remembering he was there. "Nice to see you again."_

_He gave me a quick nod and an uneasy smile, just as the girl dragged him off. Same old Aaron. He might be nice and cute, but aggressive he was not._

_I turned to Lissa. "You okay?" She nodded. "Any idea who I just threatened to beat up?"_

"You don't even know who you threaten before you do it? I see a family resemblance." Christian, the smart ass, said this.

_"Not a clue." I started to lead her toward the lunch line, but she shook her head at me. "Gotta go see the feeders."_

_A funny feeling settled over me. I'd gotten so used to being her primary blood source that the thought of returning to the Moroni's normal routine seemed strange. In fact, it almost bothered me. It shouldn't have. Daily feedings were part of a Moroi's life, something I hadn't been able to offer her while living on our own. It had been an inconvenient situation, one that left me weak on feeding days and her weak on the days in between. I should have been happy she would get some normality._

_I forced a smile. "Sure."_

Out of the corner of my eye I see Dimitri staring at me. With the tiniest of head movements that even I'm not sure if I saw right, he gestured to the kitchen. I nodded my head in the same microscopist way and stood up.

"What do you want to talk about?" I asked Dimitri.

"I was just wondering how you were doing."

"Oh, so now you actually care? You didn't seem to care when you were turned back." I snapped at him but I was actually hurt.

"I alway cared! Don't you see that?!" I winced because he basically just yelled in my face. I was speechless. I just kept opening and closing my mouth like a fish. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I've alway loved you Rose, the feelings were just muted when I was turned back," he sagged then stiffened again, "But its too late."

"What? Why is it too late?"

"Because your with Adrian." he sounded defeated. I've never heard Dimitri sound so hopeless and it tore me apart. He cut me off before I could say anything.

"I know that you're with him and I'm not trying to ask for you back . I just wanted you to know how I feel." He attempted to walk out of the room but I caught his arm.

"Dimitri, I love you. I have always loved you. I don't care that I'm with Adrian. He is looking at Sydney anyway," I took a deep breath to continue but Dimitri rushed forward and caught my lips with his. I missed his kisses. They were warm and full of life. I wrapped my arms around his neck and deepened the kiss. We broke away breathing heavy and I leaned into his chest.

"What are we going to do?" I whispered.

. "I don't know," he said, "I don't know"

_A/N What do you guys think? I know that we didn't finish the chapter but I figured that you would like a Rose and Dimitri conversation. Review _


	5. AN

**_**A/N: **_******I am so sorry for being absent and I plan to make up for that. Next week you can expect to see ********three ********chapters. Thats right three. I have a HUGE test on Saturday so wish me luck. ****

****To these three questions who ever can answer all of them right will get their story/ name/ favorite story shouted out to.****

****In ******_**Frostbite **_******who is the guardian that Arthur Schoenberg mentored?****

****In ******_**Shadow Kiss **_******what Strigoi turned Dimitri?****

****Where and how did Lissa and Rose meet?****

****You can PM me or review any of my stories. Don't forget Three chapters. Luv you****


	6. Chapter 5

**Shout out to my girls Hannah and MarySilvaLyon**

**A/N This is the first of three I will be posting this week. I will also be sticking with Roses Pov just to make things easier for me. This has recently been brought to my attention via review. I do not write to be perfect. My writing has mistakes and is not perfect. I do not edit my writing before I post to get it up earlier for you. I write because I love it. I'm sorry about the editing thing and do point out any major mistakes. Luv you.**

**Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Richelle Mead.**

**RPOV**

So, life is good. Just have a boyfriend who I don't actually love and the man I do love just apologize to me and I forgave him. So the man I love (who is not my boyfriend) and I are on the same page again and thinking about a relationship together. While my boyfriend (not the man I love) is still in a relationship with me. I know right, complicated.

I took a deep breath and walked back into the lounge after Dimitri. I sat down next to Lissa and my parents purposely away from the drama ie. Dimitri, Dimitri's family, and Adarian. Lissa looked at me weirdly and I shook my head ever so slightly. She shrugged and said, "Who wants to read?" My father raised his hand. I mentally face-palmed. Noooooo. This isn't good. I hate people reading my life but my father reading my lie brings the term violated to a whole new meaning. He cleared his throat and began to read.

_OR RATHER, THEY HAD BEEN Strigoi. A regiment of guardians had hunted them down and killed them. If rumors were true, Christian had witnessed it all when he was very young. And although he wasn't Strigoi himself, some people thought he wasn't far off, with the way he always wore black and kept to himself._

_Strigoi or not, I didn't trust him. He was a jerk, and I silently screamed at Lissa to get out of there—not that my screaming did much good. Stupid one-way bond._

"We tend to say that a lot Liss, don't we?" She laughed and smiled.

"I think its just you, Rose."

"Its true."

_"What are you doing here?" she asked._

_"Taking in the sights, of course. That chair with the tarp on it is particularly lovely this time of year. Over there, we have an old box full of the writings of the blessed and crazy St. Vladimir. And let's not forget that beautiful table with no legs in the corner."_

_"Whatever." She rolled her eyes and moved toward the door, wanting to leave, but he blocked her way._

"Smart ass." I taunted Christian trying to relive the tension in the room. It was almost mauliable. It worked.

"Ha ha, Rose. I'm just waiting for blackmail material for you." Eddie, Adrian and Christian all high-fived each other. I shook my head exasperated.

_Well, what about you?" he taunted. "Why are you up here? Don't you have parties to go to or lives to destroy?"_

_Some of Lissa's old spark returned. "Wow, that's hilarious. Am I like a rite of passage now? Go and see if you can piss off Lissa to prove how cool you are? Some girl I don't even know yelled at me today, and now I've got to deal with you? What does it take to be left alone?"_

_"Oh. So that's why you're up here. For a pity party."_

"Christian!" I had already knew that this was going to happen but I loved playing with his emotions, "What the hell?" Christian paled.

"I'm so sorry, Rose."

"Yeah I'm sure you are."

_"This isn't a joke. I'm serious." I could tell Lissa was getting angry. It was trumping her earlier distress._

_He shrugged and leaned casually against the sloping wall. "So am I. I love pity parties. I wish I'd brought the hats. What do you want to mope about first? How it's going to take you a whole day to be popular and loved again? How you'll have to wait a couple weeks before Hollister can ship out some new clothes? If you spring for rush shipping, it might not be so long."_

"Um, Christsan.."

"Yes Rose?"

"Lissa doesn't even like Hollister." I got some snickers from the peanut audience on that one. The Belikovs included.

_"Let me leave," she said angrily, this time pushing him aside._

_"Wait," he said, as she reached the door. The sarcasm disappeared from his voice. "What…um, what was it like?"_

_"What was what like?" she snapped._

_"Being out there. Away from the Academy."_

_She hesitated for a moment before answering, caught off guard by what seemed like a genuine attempt at conversation. "It was great. No one knew who I was. I was just another face. Not Moroi. Not royal. Not anything." She looked down at the floor. "Everyone here thinks they know who I am."_

_"Yeah. It's kind of hard to outlive your past," he said bitterly._

_It occurred to Lissa at that moment—and me to by default—just how hard it might be to be Christian. Most of the time, people treated him like he didn't exist. Like he was a ghost. They didn't talk to or about him. They just didn't notice him. The stigma of his parents' crime was too strong, casting its shadow onto the entire Ozera family._

_Still, he'd pissed her off, and she wasn't about to feel sorry for him._

"Thats my girl."

Mia snorted, "Only Rose gets proud when Lisa gets pissed." I nodded enthusiastically.

_"Wait—is this your pity party now?"_

_He laughed, almost approvingly. "This room has been my pity party for a year now."_

_"Sorry," said Lissa snarkily. "I was coming here before I left. I've got a longer claim."_

_"Squatters' rights. Besides, I have to make sure I stay near the chapel as much as possible so people know I haven't gone Strigoi…yet." Again, the bitter tone rang out._

_"I used to always see you at mass. Is that the only reason you go? To look good?" Strigoi couldn't enter holy ground. More of that sinning-against-the-world thing._

_"Sure," he said. "Why else go? For the good of your soul?"_

Lissa turned toward Christian. "Yes, dear. You are suppose to go to church for the good of your soul." I mentally face palmed. Do we not have someone who just restored his soul sitting not five feet from me.

_"Whatever," said Lissa, who clearly had a different opinion. "I'll leave you alone then."_

_"Wait," he said again. He didn't seem to want her to go. "I'll make you a deal. You can hang out here too if you tell me one thing."_

_"What?" She glanced back at him._

_He leaned forward. "Of all the rumors I heard about you today—and believe me, I heard plenty, even if no one actually told them to me—there was one that didn't come up very much. They dissected everything else: why you left, what you did out there, why you came back, the specialization, what Rose said to Mia, blah, blah, blah. And in all of that, no one, no one ever questioned that stupid story that Rose told about there being all sorts of fringe humans who let you take blood."_

_She looked away, and I could feel her cheeks starting to burn. "It's not stupid. Or a story."_

_He laughed softly. "I've lived with humans. My aunt and I stayed away after my parents…died. It's not that easy to find blood." When she didn't answer, he laughed again. "It was Rose, wasn't it? She fed you."_

_A renewed fear shot through both her and me. No one at school could know about that. Kirova and the guardians on the scene knew, but they'd kept that knowledge to themselves._

_"Well. If that's not friendship, I don't know what it is," he said._

_"You can't tell anyone," she blurted out._

_This was all we needed. As I'd just been reminded, feeders were vampire-bite addicts. We accepted that as part of life but still looked down on them for it. For anyone else—especially a dhampir—letting a Moroi take blood from you was almost, well, dirty. In fact, one of the kinkiest, practically pornographic things a dhampir could do was let a Moroi drink blood during sex._

_Lissa and I hadn't had sex, of course, but we'd both known what others would think of me feeding her._

_"Don't tell anyone," Lissa repeated._

_He stuffed his hands in his coat pockets and sat down on one of the crates. "Who am I going to tell? Look, go grab the window seat. You can have it today and hang out for a while. If you're not still afraid of me."_

_She hesitated, studying him. He looked dark and surly, lips curled in a sort of I'm-such-a-rebel smirk. But he didn't look too dangerous. He didn't look Strigoi. Gingerly, she sat back down in the window seat, unconsciously rubbing her arms against the cold._

_Christian watched her, and a moment later, the air warmed up considerably._

_Lissa met Christian's eyes and smiled, surprised she'd never noticed how icy blue they were before. "You specialized in fire?"_

_He nodded and pulled up a broken chair. "Now we have luxury accommodations."_

_I snapped out of the vision._

_"Rose? Rose?"_

_Blinking, I focused on Dimitri's face. He was leaning toward me, his hands gripping my shoulders. I'd stopped walking; we stood in the middle of the quad separating the upper school buildings._

"Rose?" I looked up I had kind of out of it.

"Yeah?"

"We have a guest." My father nodded toward the doorway.

Sydney. Sydney Sage walked through the door. The Belikovs recognized her and I jumped up to give her a hug.

I flashed Sydney a smile and turned around. "Every one this is Sydney Sage. Alchemist and my tour guide of Russia."

I saw Dimitri duck his head at this. He wanted to be the one to show me around his home. I looked around the room to gauge people's reactions. Everyone was welcoming excerpt one. Adrain. He looked star struck. Like he was in love. Oh this was interesting.

**A/N Except another one tomorrow. R&amp;R. (Reviews help speed up the process.)**

**What was the girls name whose arm Rose broke by shoving her up against a tree?**


	7. Chapter 6

**Shout out to stardreamer2608 who got my trivia question correct.**

**A/N Thanks to everyone who has been supporting me through the last months. Hope you enjoy this chapter.**

**Disclaimer: Richelle Mead owns everything**

Maybe this makes me a bad person but in Sydney I saw my out. My out of my relationship with Adrian without having to break his heart. If I could set Adrien up with Sydney then he will lose his interest in me.

While I was meticulously planning, Sydney was passed the book and told where to start reading.

_"Are you all right?"_

_"I…yeah. I was…I was with Lissa…" I put a hand to my forehead. I'd never had such a long or clear experience like that. "I was in her head."_

_"Her…head?"_

_"Yeah. It's part of the bond." I didn't really feel like elaborating._

_"Is she alright?"_

_"Yeah, she's…" I hesitated. Was she all right? Christian Ozera had just invited her to hang out with him. Not good. There was "coasting through the middle," and then there was turning to the dark side. But the feelings humming through our bond were no longer scared or upset. She was almost content, though still a little nervous. "She's not in danger," I finally said. I hoped._

"You hoped!? You hoped?" CHristin put his hand over his heart in mocking hurt.

"Yes, Christain, I hoped. She was in an attic with a psychopath."

"I'm taking that as a compliment."

"Wouldn't expect anything else."

_"Can you keep going?"_

_The hard, stoic warrior I'd met earlier was gone—just for a moment—and he actually looked concerned. Truly concerned. Feeling his eyes on me like that made something flutter inside of me—which was stupid, of course. I had no reason to get all goofy, just because the man was too good-looking for his own good. After all, he was an antisocial god, according to Mason. One who was supposedly going to leave me in all sorts of pain._

Eddie and Christian started cracking up. Adrian was still staring at Sydney and he was starting to look like someone who was stalking her.

I gave Eddie and Christian a bland look, "Not like that. Like flip-me-on-my-back hurt and punch-me-in-the-face kind of hurt. Not what ever you pervs are thinking about." I turned to stalker Adrian.

Snapping my fingers in his face to wake him up seemed to work. He blinked super fast and seemed to come back to reality. "Yes Rose?'

"I never saw you miss a sex joke." I was just teasing but Adrian's face seemed to fall a bit.

"Oh," he mumbled, "I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be sorry."

_"Yeah. I'm fine."_

_I went into the gym's dressing room and changed into the workout clothes someone had finally thought to give me after a day of practicing in jeans and a T-shirt. Gross. Lissa hanging out with Christian troubled me, but I shoved that thought away for later as my muscles informed me they did not want to go through any more exercise today._

Mia laughed. I looked over at her a look on my face that made her laughing even more hysterical. "I'm sorry," she managed to get out, "You're talking to an inanimate object." I rolled my eyes and gestured to Sydney.

_So I suggested to Dimitri that maybe he should let me off this time._

_He laughed, and I was pretty sure it was at me and not with me._

_"Why is that funny?"_

_"Oh," he said, his smile dropping. "You were serious."_

_"Of course I was! Look, I've technically been awake for two days. Why do we have to start this training now? Let me go to bed," I whined. "It's just one hour."_

_He crossed his arms and looked down at me. His earlier concern was gone. He was all business now. Tough love. "How do you feel right now? After the training you've done so far?"_

_"I hurt like hell."_

_"You'll feel worse tomorrow."_

_"So?"_

_"So, better to jump in now while you still feel…not as bad."_

_"What kind of logic is that?" I retorted._

"Rose logic!" screamed Victoria and Mia.

_But I didn't argue anymore as he led me into the weight room. He showed me the weights and reps he wanted me to do, then sprawled in a corner with a battered Western novel. Some god._

After that last comment Dimitri's family started dying laughing. I waited for them to calm down before I told Sydney to continue.

_When I finished, he stood beside me and demonstrated a few cool-down stretches._

_"How'd you end up as Lissa's guardian?" I asked. "You weren't here a few years ago. Were you even trained at this school?"_

_He didn't answer right away. I got the feeling he didn't talk about himself very often. "No. I attended the one in Siberia."_

_"Whoa. That's got to be the only place worse than Montana."_

_A glint of something—maybe amusement—sparked in his eyes, but he didn't acknowledge the joke. "After I graduated, I was a guardian for a Zeklos lord. He was killed recently." His smile dropped, his face grew dark. "They sent me here because they needed extras on campus. When the princess turned up, they assigned me to her, since I'd already be around. Not that it matters until she leaves campus."_

_I thought about what he'd said before. Some Strigoi killed the guy he was supposed to have been guarding? "Did this lord die on your watch?"_

_"No. He was with his other guardian. I was away."_

_He fell silent, his mind obviously somewhere else. The Moroi expected a lot from us, but they did recognize that the guardians were—more or less—only human. So, guardians got pay and time off like you'd get in any other job. Some hard-core guardians—like my mom—refused vacations, vowing never to leave their Moroi's sides. Looking at Dimitri now, I had a feeling he might very well turn into one of those. If he'd been away on legitimate leave, he could hardly blame himself for what happened to that guy. Still, he probably did anyway. I'd blame myself too if something happened to Lissa._

Dimitri's family seemed in awe. "How," Oleana started, "How did you know he was still in pain?" I couldn't believe Dimitri's own mother didn't know how much it hurt him to think about his charge dying on his watch. Even if it isn't his fault he will still take blam its just Dimitri's nature.

"Well starting with the fact that he never went out, never was off duty, pulled multiply shifts, and was very anti social," I started.

"Really? That it?" asked Eddie.

"I'm not sure. I'll get back to you. Anyway, Dimitri was basically a workaholic. And wasn't very social. That both points to losing your best friend and better yet believing that it is your fault because its your job to protect them. Yeah thats hard."

"You sound like you know what it feels like." Victoria said.

"We'll get to that in another book," I replied softly.

_"Hey," I said, suddenly wanting to cheer him up, "did you help come up with the plan to get us back? Because it was pretty good. Brute force and all that."_

_He arched an eyebrow curiously. Cool. I'd always wished I could do that. "You're complimenting me on that?"_

_"Well, it was a hell of a lot better than the last one they tried."_

_"Last one?"_

_"Yeah. In Chicago. With the pack of psi-hounds."_

_"This was the first time we found you. In Portland."_

_I sat up from my stretches and crossed my legs. "Um, I don't think I imagined psi-hounds. Who else could have sent them? They only answer to Moroi. Maybe no one told you about it."_

_"Maybe," he said dismissively. I could tell by his face he didn't believe that._

Dimitri actually spoke up since our conversation in the kitchen. "I didn't believe you because there was no report on it."

I shrugged, "Well maybe if we read faster, we'll find out why."

_I returned to the novices' dorm after that. The Moroi students lived on the other side of the quad, closer to the commons. The living arrangements were partly based on convenience. Being here kept us novices closer to the gym and training grounds. But we also lived separately to accommodate the differences in Moroi and dhampirs lifestyles. Their dorm had almost no windows, aside from tinted ones that dimmed sunlight. They also had a special section where feeders always stayed on hand. The novices' dorm was built in a more open way, allowing for more light._

_I had my own room because there were so few novices, let alone girls. The room they'd given me was small and plain, with a twin bed and a desk with a computer. My few belongings had been spirited out of Portland and now sat in boxes around the room. I rummaged through them, pulling out a T-shirt to sleep in. I found a couple of pictures as I did, one of Lissa and me at a football game in Portland and another taken when I'd gone on vacation with her family, a year before the accident._

_I set them on my desk and booted up the computer. Someone from tech support had helpfully given me a sheet with instructions for renewing my e-mail account and setting up a password. I did both, happy to discover no one had realized that this would serve as a way for me to communicate with Lissa. Too tired to write to her now, I was about to turn everything off when I noticed I already had a message. From Janine Hathaway. It was short:_

_I'm glad you're back. What you did was inexcusable._

_"Love you too, Mom," I muttered, shutting it all down._

My mom winced along with my father. I waved them of. Forgive and forget.

_When I went to bed afterward, I passed out before even hitting the pillow, and just as Dimitri had predicted, I felt ten times worse when I woke up the next morning. Lying there in bed, I reconsidered the perks of running away. Then I remembered getting my ass kicked and figured the only way to prevent that from happening again was to go endure some more of it this morning._

_My soreness made it all that much worse, but I survived the before-school practice with Dimitri and my subsequent classes without passing out or fainting._

_At lunch, I dragged Lissa away from Natalie's table early and gave her a Kirova-worthy lecture about Christian—particularly chastising her for letting him know about our blood arrangement. If that got out, it'd kill both of us socially and I didn't trust him not to tell._

_Lissa had other concerns._

"What could possibly be more important then Rose getting kick out of school?" Victoria asked.

_"You were in my head again?" she exclaimed. "For that long?"_

"Ohhhhhh."

_"I didn't do it on purpose," I argued. "It just happened. And that's not the point. How long did you hang out with him afterward?"_

_"Not that long. It was kind of…fun."_

_"Well, you can't do it again. If people find out you're hanging out with him, they'll crucify you." I eyed her warily. "You aren't, like, into him, are you?"_

_She scoffed. "No. Of course not._

_"Good. Because if you're going to go after a guy, steal Aaron back." He was boring, yes, but safe. Just like Natalie. How come all the harmless people were so lame? Maybe that was the definition of safe._

Lissa grinned and shook her head. "Only Rose."

_She laughed. "Mia would claw my eyes out."_

_"We can take her. Besides, he deserves someone who doesn't shop at Gap Kids."_

_"Rose, you've got to stop saying things like that."_

_"I'm just saying what you won't."_

_"She's only a year younger," said Lissa. She laughed. "I can't believe you think I'm the one who's going to get us in trouble."_

Mia threw her hands up, "Haullia. Thank you Lissa!"

_Smiling as we strolled toward class, I gave her a sidelong glance. "Aaron does look pretty good though, huh?"_

_She smiled back and avoided my eyes. "Yeah. Pretty good."_

_"Ooh. You see? You should go after him."_

_"Whatever. I'm fine being friends now."_

_"Friends who used to stick their tongues down each other's throats."_

"Um Rose," started Mia, "I belive thats called friends with benefits."

I, like the mature adult that I am, stuck my tongue out at her.

_She rolled her eyes._

_"Fine." I let my teasing go. "Let Aaron stay in the nursery school. Just so long as you stay away from Christian. He's dangerous."_

_"You're overreacting. He's not going Strigoi."_

_"He's a bad influence."_

_She laughed. "You think I'm in danger of going Strigoi?"_

_She didn't wait for my answer, instead pushing ahead to open the door to our science class. Standing there, I uneasily replayed her words and then followed a moment later. When I did, I got to see royal power in action. A few guys—with giggling, watching girls—were messing with a gangly-looking Moroi. I didn't know him very well, but I knew he was poor and certainly not royal. A couple of his tormentors were air-magic users, and they'd blown the papers off his desk and were pushing them around the room on currents of air while the guy tried to catch them._

_My instincts urged me to do something, maybe go smack one of the air users. But I couldn't pick a fight with everyone who annoyed me, and certainly not a group of royals—especially when Lissa needed to stay off their radar. So I could only give them a look of disgust as I walked to my desk. As I did, a hand caught my arm. Jesse._

I heard Dimitri growl behind me and I just barely hid the smile in my face. I didn't want to spoil the people that didn't know what was going to happen.

_"Hey," I said jokingly. Fortunately, he didn't appear to be participating in the torture session. "Hands off the merchandise."_

_He flashed me a smile but kept his hand on me. "Rose, tell Paul about the time you started the fight in Ms. Karp's class."_

_I cocked my head toward him, giving him a playful smile. "I started a lot of fights in her class."_

_"The one with the hermit crab. And the gerbil."_

_I laughed, recalling it. "Oh yeah. It was a hamster, I think. I just dropped it into the crab's tank, and they were both worked up from being so close to me, so they went at it."_

_Paul, a guy sitting nearby whom I didn't really know, chuckled too. He'd transferred last year, apparently, and hadn't heard of this. "Who won?"_

_I looked at Jesse quizzically. "I don't remember. Do you?"_

_"No. I just remember Karp freaking out." He turned toward Paul. "Man, you should have seen this messed-up teacher we used to have. Used to think people were after her and would go off on stuff that didn't make any sense. She was nuts. Used to wander campus while everyone was asleep."_

_I smiled tightly, like I thought it was funny. Instead, I thought back to Ms. Karp again, surprised to be thinking about her for the second time in two days. Jesse was right—she had wandered campus a lot when she still worked here. It was pretty creepy. I'd run into her once—unexpectedly._

_I'd been climbing out of my dorm window to go hang out with some people. It was after hours, and we were all supposed to be in our rooms, fast asleep. Such escape tactics were a regular practice for me. I was good at them._

I believe that every adult in the room sighed and reluctantly nodded their head while the teens all high-fived each other.

_But I feel that time. I had a second-floor room, and I lost my grip about halfway down. Sensing the ground rush up toward me, I tried desperately to grab hold of something and slow my fall. The building's rough stone tore into my skin, causing cuts I was too preoccupied to feel. I slammed into the grassy earth, back first, getting the wind knocked out of me._

_"Bad form, Rosemarie. You should be more careful. Your instructors would be disappointed."_

"Yes," Dimitri said, "Yes, I am."

_Peering through the tangle of my hair, I saw Ms. Karp looking down at me, a bemused look on her face. Pain, in the meantime, shot through every part of my body._

_Ignoring it as best I could, I clambered to my feet. Being in class with Crazy Karp while surrounded by other students was one thing. Standing outside alone with her was an entirely different matter. She always had an eerie, distracted gleam in her eye that made my skin break out in goose bumps._

_There was also now a high likelihood she'd drag me off to Kirova for a detention. Scarier still._

_Instead, she just smiled and reached for my hands. I flinched but let her take them. She tsked when she saw the scrapes. Tightening her grip on them, she frowned slightly. A tingle burned my skin, laced with a sort of pleasant buzz, and then the wounds closed up. I had a brief sense of dizziness. My temperature spiked. The blood disappeared, as did the pain in my hip and leg._

My first time experiencing Spirit magic was interesting but not as horrible as my first time. I shuddered thinking about the twisting metal and me getting thrown into a tree. The burst of pain as my head slammed into the tree and the relief in the darkness.

_Gasping, I jerked my hands away. I'd seen a lot of Moroi magic, but never anything like that._

_"What…what did you do?"_

_She gave me that weird smile again. "Go back to your dorm, Rose. There are bad things out here. You never know what's following you."_

_I was still staring at my hands. "But…"_

_I looked back up at her and for the first time noticed scars on the sides of her forehead. Like nails had dug into them. She winked. "I won't tell on you if you don't tell on me."_

_I jumped back to the present, unsettled by the memory of that bizarre night. Jesse, in the meantime, was telling me about a party._

_"You've got to slip your leash tonight. We're going up to that spot in the woods around eight thirty. Mark got some weed."_

_I sighed wistfully, regret replacing the chill I'd felt over the memory of Ms. Karp. "Can't slip that leash. I'm with my Russian jailer."_

_He let go of my arm, looking disappointed, and ran a hand through his bronze-colored hair. Yeah. Not being able to hang out with him was a damned shame. I really would have to fix that someday. "Can't you ever get off for good behavior?" he joked._

_I gave him what I hoped was a seductive smile as I found my seat. "Sure," I called over my shoulder. "If I was ever good."_

**A/N End of chapter 6. **

**In what book was there a typo about Dimitri's sibling number. R&amp;R**


	8. Chapter 7

**So some answers of past questions are Ch 6- Vampire Academy, Ch5- Dawn yarrow **

**Shout Outs to everyone who answered my questions right: No One! Fail Guys.**

**All the fun stuff that I have to put in my beginning chapters: Looking for a Beta for this story. You can PM me if interested.**

**Disclaimer: Richelle Mead owns everything.**

"Who wants to read?" Everyone was quiet for a couple of moments until Olena spoke up.

"I will." We handed her the book and she began to read.

_AS MUCH AS LISSA AND Christian's meeting bothered me, it gave me an idea the next day._

Christian and Eddie all gasped very loudly. "Rose has ideas?"

Adrain however was still staring at Sydney all lovey-dovey. We needed to have a talk about that. I needed to break up with him so I could be with Dimitri. But now I had a reason for not breaking his heart. But in the meantime, I picked up the two heaviest diaries and chucked them at the boys heads.

Christian just said ow! and rubbed his head but Eddie picked up the book that I threw at him and open it and started reading it at a random page. "As soon as I allowed Dimitri to bite me… I'd fallen apart. What is this, Rose?"

Damn it. I threw _Blood Promise_ at him. I stood up, stalked over, and snatched up the book. "You will see when we get there." I strutted back over to my seat and the put book on the table in front of us and sat back down. I gestured at Olena to begin reading again.

_"Hey, Kirova—er, Ms. Kirova." I stood in the doorway of her office, not having bothered to make an appointment. She raised her eyes from some paperwork, clearly annoyed to see me._

_"Yes, Miss Hathaway?"_

_"Does my house arrest mean I can't go to church?"_

_"I beg your pardon?"_

_"You said that whenever I'm not in class or practice, I have to stay in the dorm. But what about church on Sundays? I don't think it's really fair to keep me away from my religious…um, needs." Or deprive me of another chance—no matter how short and boring—to hang out with Lissa._

"I knew it!" shouted Lissa.

"Yes, yes. Your a genius."

_She pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. "I wasn't aware you had any religious needs."_

_"I found Jesus while I was gone."_

Lissa snorted and just shook her head. The entire Belikov family seemed scandalized that I would use church to my socializing needs. Just waited until they found out what Lissa and Christian did in the church attic.

_"Isn't your mother an atheist?" she asked skeptically._

_"And my dad's probably Muslim. But I've moved on to my own path. You shouldn't keep me from it."_

_She made a noise that sort of sounded like a snicker. "No, Miss Hathaway, I should not. Very well. You may attend services on Sundays."_

_The victory was short-lived, however, because church was every bit as lame as I remembered when I attended a few days later. I did get to sit next to Lissa, though, which made me feel like I was getting away with something. Mostly I just people-watched. Church was optional for students, but with so many Eastern European families, a lot of students were Eastern Orthodox Christians and attended either because they believed or because their parents made them._

"True. Dat." says Vika. Olena scowls at her but continues reading to cover her rage.

_Christian sat on the opposite side of the aisle, pretending to be just as holy as he'd said. As much as I didn't like him, his fake faith still made me smile. Dimitri sat in the back, face lined with shadows, and, like me, didn't take communion. As thoughtful as he looked, I wondered if he even listened to the service. I tuned in and out._

_"Following God's path is never easy," the priest was saying. "Even St. Vladimir, this school's own patron saint, had a difficult time. He was so filled with spirit that people often flocked around him, enthralled just to listen and be in his presence. So great was his spirit, the old texts say, that he could heal the sick. Yet despite these gifts, many did not respect him. They mocked him, claiming he was misguided and confused."_

_Which was a nice way of saying Vladimir was insane. Everyone knew it. He was one of a handful of Moroi saints, so the priest liked to talk about him a lot. I'd heard all about him, many times over, before we left. Great. It looked like I had an eternity of Sundays to hear his story over and over again._

_"…and so it was with shadow-kissed Anna."_

"So that is where you first learned about Anna and Vlad." Christian said. He was probably remembering for when I recruited him for research. I nodded.

_I jerked my head up. I had no idea what the priest was talking about now, because I hadn't been listening for some time. But those words burned into me. Shadow-kissed. It had been a while since I heard them, but I'd never forgotten them. I waited, hoping he'd continue, but he'd already moved on to the next part of the service. The sermon was over._

_Church concluded, and as Lissa turned to go, I shook my head at her. "Wait for me. I'll be right there."_

_I pushed my way through the crowd, up to the front, where the priest was speaking with a few people. I waited impatiently while he finished. Natalie was there, asking him about volunteer work she could do. Ugh. When she finished, she left, greeting me as she passed._

_The priest raised his eyebrows when he saw me. "Hello, Rose. It's nice to see you again."_

_"Yeah…you too," I said. "I heard you talking about Anna. About how she was 'shadow-kissed.' What does that mean?"_

"What does that mean, Rose?" asked Karolina.

"You'll find out when I do."

"Which is when exactly?"

"In this book."

_He frowned. "I'm not entirely sure. She lived a very long time ago. It was often common to refer to people by titles that reflected some of their traits. It might have been given to make her sound fierce."_

_I tried to hide my disappointment. "Oh. So who was she?"_

_This time his frown was disapproving rather than thoughtful. "I mentioned it a number of times."_

_"Oh. I must have, um, missed that."_

_His disapproval grew, and he turned around. "Wait just a moment."_

_He disappeared through the door near the altar, the one Lissa had taken to the attic. I considered fleeing but thought God might strike me down for that. Less than a minute later, the priest returned with a book. He handed it to me. Moroi Saints._

_"You can learn about her in here. The next time I see you, I'd like to hear what you've learned."_

_I scowled as I walked away. Great. Homework from the priest._

Eddie just died laughing. I looked over at him. "Mason use to get homework from him all the time."

"Why? My dear, Eddie, would _Mason_ have homework from a priest?"

"Because my dear, Rose, Mason was caught not paying attention in Mass and the priest wanted Mason to actually learn while in church."

"So Mason got homework because he was really bad at not getting caught." After Eddie confirmed by nodding I said,

"Fail, Mase. Fail."

_In the chapel's entry way, I found Lissa talking to Aaron. She smiled as she spoke, and the feelings coming off her were happy, though certainly not infatuated._

_"You're kidding," she exclaimed._

_He shook his head. "Nope."_

_Seeing me stroll over, she turned to me. "Rose, you're never going to believe this. You know Abby Badica? And Xander? Their guardian wants to resign. And marry another guardian."_

"I just want it on record that at this time I was against two guardians dating each other," I looked at Dimitri, "That is, until I fell in love with another guardian." Everyone nodded, hopefully to not judge me.

_Now this was exciting gossip. A scandal, actually. "Seriously? Are they, like, going to run off together?"_

_She nodded. "They're getting a house. Going to get jobs with humans, I guess."_

_I glanced at Aaron, who had suddenly turned shy with me there. "How are Abby and Xander dealing with that?"_

_"Okay. Embarrassed. They think it's stupid." Then he realized who he was speaking to. "Oh. I didn't mean—"_

_"Whatever." I gave him a tight smile. "It is stupid."_

_Wow. I was stunned. The rebellious part me of loved any story where people "fought the system." Only, in this case, they were fighting my system, the one I'd been trained to believe in my entire life._

_Dhampirs and Moroi had a strange arrangement._

Christian groaned. Everyone looked at him questionably. "Rose feels the need to explain what we already know." He explained.

"Well, I like it. I don't know all of this." Sydney said this with Adrian nodding along like a puppy. Whipped.

What Sydney said seemed to shut Christan up. But me being the ever compromiser said, "Why don't we skip this section?" Everyone seemed to think it was a good idea and so Olena skipped it.

_Between her example and my life at the Academy, I believed wholeheartedly that it was a dhampir's job to protect Moroi. It was part of our heritage, and it was the only way we'd keep going. It was that simple._

_And that was what made what the Badicas' guardian had done so shocking. He'd abandoned his Moroi and run off with another guardian, which meant she'd abandoned her Moroi. They couldn't even have children together, and now two families were unprotected. What was the point? No one cared if teenage dhampirs dated or if adult dhampirs had flings. But a long-term relationship? Particularly one that involved them running away? A complete waste. And a disgrace._

"Agian-" I tried to say but was cut off by… by Dimitri.

"We know Roza. Its okay." My heart malted not only by the nickname but by the look that he gave me it was almost filled with.. love?

"You know what? Why don't Adrian and I go get some snacks." This was the perfect time to talk to Adrian about Sydney. Adrian didn't even hear me say his name over him ogling over Sydney. Christian nudged him and muttered,

"Dude, come on." Adrian stood up and started to make his way to the kitchenette. I leaned over to Dimitri on my way to the kitchen.

"We are going to talk about Us," I whispered in his ear. I ghost of a smile lit up his face and that in turn put a grin in my face. I made my way to the kitchen and closed the door behind me. I turned toward Adrian and just blatantly said,

"You like Sydney." He blanched and went to deny it.

"No. I don't."

"Adrian, I see how you look at her. You like her and I want you to feel that kind of love and that love is not something that we share."

"You're just saying that because you want to get back together with Belikov."

"That's true but its that I want you to be happy," my voice had dropped a level; it was soft now, "I love you but, like a brother."

"I love you too, Rose. And seeing Sydney, I realized that I only love you like a sister."

"So this is it?"

"This is it."

We hugged each other and I had to say something to put that smirk back on his face. "Its been a good run. Now I expect you, by the time that we are out of this room, to ask Sydney out."

"Only if you ask Belikov out."

"So you won't mind?"

"I won't mind." We walked out of there arm in arm and I smiled over at Dimitri. Time to announce it to the room.

"We broke up." Everyone looked up but no one looked surprised.

Lissa spoke up, "Are you on good terms?"

Adrian and I looked at each other and back at the room. "Yep." Adrian walked over to Sydney and started up a conversation with her.

I walked over to Dimitri plopped down next to him and picked up the book to read.

_As we stepped outside, I heard a funny shifting sound and then something sliding. Too late, I realized what was happening, just as a pile of slush slid off the chapel's roof and onto us. It was early October, and we'd had early snow last night that had started melting almost immediately. As a result, the stuff that fell on us was very wet and very cold._

_Lissa took the brunt of it, but I still yelped as icy water landed on my hair and neck. A few others squealed nearby too, having caught the edge of the mini-avalanche._

_"You okay?" I asked her. Her coat was drenched, and her platinum hair clung to the sides of her face._

_"Y-yeah," she said through chattering teeth._

_I pulled off my coat and handed it to her. It had a slick surface and had repelled most of the water. "Take yours off."_

_"But you'll be—"_

_"Take this."_

_She did, and as she slipped on my coat, I finally tuned into the laughter that always follows these situations. I avoided the eyes, instead focusing on holding Lissa's wet jacket while she changed._

_"Wish you hadn't been wearing a coat, Rose," said Ralf Sarkozy an unusually bulky and plump Moroi. I hated him. "That shirt would have looked good wet."_

Dimitri gritted his teeth and I looked up at him questionably. "I'm allowed to be jealous and so I will." I giggled at that. Yesx everyone Rose Hathaway has giggled. Only Dimitri will make me giggle.

_"That shirt's so ugly it should be burned. Did you get that from a homeless person?"_

_I glanced up as Mia walked over and looped her arm through Aaron's. Her blond curls were arranged perfectly, and she had on an awesome pair of black heels that would have looked much better on me. At least they made her look taller, I'd give her that. Aaron had been a few steps behind us but had miraculously avoided being nailed by the slush. Seeing how smug she looked, I decided there'd been no miracles involved._

_"I suppose you want to offer to burn it, huh?" I asked, refusing to let her know how much that insult bugged me. I knew perfectly well my fashion sense had slipped over the last two years. "Oh, wait—fire isn't your element, is it? You work with water. What a coincidence that a bunch just fell on us."_

_Mia looked as if she'd been insulted, but the gleam in her eyes showed that she was enjoying this way too much to be an innocent bystander. "What's that supposed to mean?"_

_"Nothing to me. But Ms. Kirova will probably have something to say when she finds out you used magic against another student."_

_"That wasn't an attack," she scoffed. "And it wasn't me. It was an act of God."_

_A few others laughed, much to her delight. In my imagination, I responded with, So is this, and then slammed her into the side of the church. In real life, Lissa simply nudged me and said, "Let's go."_

Dimitri leaned down to whisper in my ear. His scruff scratched my cheek and I shivered. I felt him grin. "I'm proud of you," Goose bumps started to appear on my skin, "For walking away." Oh what an opportunity that was. I could make a number of jokes about self control but I couldn't focus on what jokes I was going to say. Dimitris hand was a delicious feeling that I had missed. I literally just became single a couple minutes ago but I didn't care. I elbowed him so that I could continue to read without my voice wavering.

_She and I walked off toward our respective dorms, leaving behind laughter and jokes about our wet states and how Lissa wouldn't know anything about specialization. Inside, I seethed. I had to do something about Mia, I realized. In addition to the general irritation of Mia's bitchiness, I didn't want Lissa to have to deal with any more stress than she had to. We'd been okay this first week, and I wanted to keep it that way._

_"You know," I said, "I'm thinking more and more that you stealing Aaron back is a good thing. It'll teach Bitch Doll a lesson. I bet it'd be easy, too. He's still crazy about you."_

_"I don't want to teach anyone a lesson," said Lissa. "And I'm not crazy about him."_

_"Come on, she picks fights and talks about us behind our backs. She accused me of getting jeans from the Salvation Army yesterday."_

_"Your jeans are from the Salvation Army."_

_"Well, yeah," I snorted, "but she has no right making fun of them when she's wearing stuff from Target."_

_"Hey, there's nothing wrong with Target. I like Target."_

_"So do I. That's not the point. She's trying to pass her stuff off like it's freaking Stella McCartney."_

_"And that's a crime?"_

_I affected a solemn face. "Absolutely. You've gotta take revenge."_

_"I told you, I'm not interested in revenge." Lissa cut me a sidelong look. "And you shouldn't be either."_

_I smiled as innocently as I could, and when we parted ways, I felt relieved again that she couldn't read my thoughts._

"Theres a page breaker. Can we take a break?" I saw people nodding except Adrain and Sydney. For they were talking and when I felt Dimitri's lips on my cheek I felt content.

**A/N End of Chapter 7! Any POV request or people showing up just review or PM me. I am looking for a Beta for this story. Any requests any at all review! More reviews, get a chapter up quicker.**

**What color is Eddie's hair? **


	9. Chapter 8

**-A/N So I know I have been absent for awhile but I did get some reviews that were hard to deal with. I'm not going to name names but you know who you are. I love positive feedback. I'll say that again. Positive feedback. Getting critiques is something I'm learning to deal with but be tender with me but I will be making my chapters longer and be having actual dialogue thanks to my beta that is my saviour. Mary Silva Lyon. Luv you girlfriend. Answer to last times question is Sandy Blonde hair. **

**Shout out to: **

** . .dicho**

**AddictBook**

**madison book addict 14**

**the fangirl diaries**

**And my favorite story of all time right now: Yesterday is History by Coffee Shop Muse**

I decided it was time to take inventory on the remaining people. Dimitri's family: Olena and Victoria were the only ones who remained because it was getting late and Karolina and Sonya had left after diner to put their kids to sleep. Yeva left after mumbling something about the sunrising after a long time. I mean I love Dimitri to death and back but if Yeva said something else about how our destiny was written in the stars (or something along those lines) I was going to strangled her. No questions asked. Then we had Sydney and Adrian. No comment on how close those two were sitting or how when they spoke to each other their heads got very close to each other or the longing looks they were throwing each other. No comment at all. Then there was Eddie and Mia, and both my parents. Oh and Dimitri. Duh.

"So," I rubbed my hands together, "Who want to read the final chapter and half before we go to sleep?" I looked around the room. Silence. "Really? No one want to volunteer for tribute?" Blank looks from the peanut gallery. "Two things. One: does no one get the reference to _The Hunger Games_. The only book I actually read and loved (A/N read that series at least 12 times each. Luv it.) Two: No one want to read?" I paused for dramatic effect. "No one wants to see inside my head?" Eddie snorted. Praise God a reaction.

"Rose, sweetie, no one want to see inside your head. Or maybe they do. Its like one of those videos that they show in Bio of the zebra getting eaten by the lion. You want to look away but you can't."

"Oh, well, my head was just compared to a lion maiming a zebra. Thanks." I rolled my eyes and pumped enough snark into the last word to.. to.. I don't know.. Kill the zebra.

"Going once… Going twice.. Fine I'll read. Pass me the book." Once the book was passed to me and me settled in my Russian Lover's lap I began to read.

_"So when's the big catfight going to happen?"_

_Mason was waiting for me outside our dorm after I'd parted ways with Lissa. He looked lazy and cute, leaning against the wall with crossed arms as he watched me._

_"I'm sure I don't know what you mean."_

_He unfolded himself and walked with me into the building, handing me his coat, since I'd let Lissa go off with my dry one. "I saw you guys sparring outside the chapel. Have you no respect for the house of God?"_

Eddie and Mia both snorted simultaneously. I don't know if you've ever heard anything like that but it sounds like two pigs mating. "Guys, don't ever snort at the same time again."

Mia took the bait because Eddie kind of looked like he knew where I was going with this. "Why should we ever do that again ,Rose" Now this sentence sounded quiet innocent.

"Because you sound like two pigs before their about to mate." I then went on the show them what they sounded like by making my own noises. Adarian looked like he was in physical pain not saying the perverted thing that was on his mind. Sydney I owe you life. Besides Adrian everyone and I mean even the person under me found this funny. Sydney just looked put out.

"How in the world do you know what a pig sounds like before mating, Rose?" This was Viktoria.

"Very good question my dearest child,-"

"I'm not a child."

"I'm older. You're younger. Even if you weren't younger than me I call everyone child. Even your brother who is seven years older than me has been childed. (A/N Spell check says this is not a word. I say it is) So from the ages 80 to 4 you can and will be childed. Anywho, back on track, I know what a pig sounds like from AP Bio. Had to watch a video. What?" No one decided to question me though I think it was because they were hung up on the fact that I took AP Bio. I was a good student when I like the topic! Like maiming and killing.

_Mason was waiting for me outside our dorm after I'd parted ways with Lissa. He looked lazy and cute, leaning against the wall with crossed arms as he watched me._

I felt Dimitri growl and tighten his arms around me. Like literally growled. Like a dog trying to take his toy away. Did I really just compare Dimitri to a dog and me his toy? Its too late, I decided. But I couldn't hide the smirk from his possessiveness.

_I'm sure I don't know what you mean."_

_He unfolded himself and walked with me into the building, handing me his coat, since I'd let Lissa go off with my dry one. "I saw you guys sparring outside the chapel. Have you no respect for the house of God?"_

_I snorted. "You've got about as much respect for it as I do, you heathen. You didn't even go. Besides, as you said, we were outside."_

Sydney frowned. Right forgot she was a believer. (A/N I mean no offense to Christians. I happen to be one myself) I cringed not wanting to upset anyone. Then I realized that this might be fun. If she feels scandalised by this then what will happen when the lust charm comes around. I had to hold back an evil cackle because I already had people questioning my sanity. I wonder why. *Shy face*. I made myself a pat in this moment to enjoy every one's reactions and to laugh instead of cry.

_"And you still didn't answer the question."_

_I just grinned and slipped on his coat._

_We stood in the common area of our dorm, a well-supervised lounge and study area where male and female students could mingle, along with Moroi guests. Being Sunday, it was pretty crowded with those cramming for last-minute assignments due tomorrow. Spying a small, empty table, I grabbed Mason's arm and pulled him toward it._

_"Aren't you supposed to go straight to your room?"_

"Yes." All the adults in the room echoed

"Nope." All the teenagers echoed back. This happened at the same time. With the beautiful faces of the adults I had the itching feeling to take a picture but I, sadly, didn't. Mia jumped into explain the reasoning behind our (the teens) response.

"Well, think about it, does Rose ever do what she is told?" There was a unanimous shake of the heads around the room. "So why would she go straight back up to her room?" No answer. "And on that, no teenager goes straight up to their rooms. Thats what being a teenager is all about." I got up gave Mia a high five and sat back down on my Russian cushion.

_I hunkered down in my seat, glancing around warily. "There are so many people here today, it'll take them a while to notice me. God, I'm so sick of being locked away. And it's only been a week."_

_"I'm sick of it too. We missed you last night. A bunch of us went and shot pool in the rec room. Eddie was on fire."_

_I groaned. "Don't tell me that. I don't want to hear about your glamorous social life."_

I felt my face soften. I was such an idiot for not noticing the signs of his real feelings for me. I guess when someone is sitting under you then they can feel your muscles in your back tighten. I felt Dimitri snake his arms around my waist and hold me closer. He brushed my hair back, exposing my neck, shoulder, and collar bond. I felt his lips by my ear and my skin broke out in goose bumps. The thing this man does to me. I felt his breath he was so close when he spoke. "Its not your fault, love. He made his decisions and you made yours."

"Thanks," I whispered back, "Now I feel like and even bigger bitch."

"You're not a bitch. You can force your feelings." The unspoken words of _We should know_ hung in the air between us. I looked around the room and saw that everyone that was still here was letting us have our privacy. I pulled everyone back together.

" Guys, lets finish up this chapter so that we can go to bed." I heard a murmur of agreement and continued on.

_"All right." He propped his elbow up on the table and rested his chin in his hand. "Then tell me about Mia. You're just going to turn around and punch her one day, aren't you? I think I remember you doing that at least ten times with people that pissed you off."_

_"I'm a new, reformed Rose," I said, doing my best impression of demure. Which wasn't very good. He emitted a choking sort of laugh. "Besides, if I do that, I'll have broken my probation with Kirova. Gotta walk the straight and narrow."_

_"In other words, find some way to get back at Mia that you won't get in trouble for."_

_I felt a smile tug at the corners of my lips. "You know what I like about you, Mase? You think just like I do."_

"That," I heard Adrain say, "Is terrifying."

_"Frightening concept," he replied drily. "So tell me what you think of this: I might know something about her, but I probably shouldn't tell you…"_

Adrian looked alarmed that he thought the same thing as Mason, not that he ever had the chance to meet Mason. Eddie, on the other hand, started to laugh hysterically. I swear that sometimes I think that kid is on laughing gas. I voiced my past thought but that just set off a whole other round but from everyone, not just Eddie this time. Mia ended up processing what Mason just said and shushed everyone to hear what Mason knew about her.

_I leaned forward. "Oh, you already tipped me off. You've got to tell me now."_

_"It'd be wrong," he teased. "How do I know you'd use this knowledge for good instead of evil?"_

_I batted my eyelashes. "Can you resist this face?"_

_He took a moment to study me. "No. I can't, actually. Okay, here you go: Mia isn't royal."_

I sighed ,another sign that I missed. After Dimitri felt me sign he did the impossible and held me even closer. I think that he was trying to mold us into one person. Mia looked livid though.

"Of course, I know exactly what he is going to say and of course it was you."

I gave my most angelic smile and say, "Well, of course it was me. Who else did you expect to spread such rumors. Take it as payback to all the terrible things that you said about me." She at least had the decency to look ashamed.

_I slouched back in my chair. "No kidding. I already knew that. I've known who's royal since I was two." _

"Um…" Victoria awkwarding raised her hand. I decided to play teacher.

I stood up and pointed to her, "Yes, Vika?"

"Well, I think that we should question the academy's education because I don't think memorizing royals is on the list of curriculum."

"Well when you grow up as one of the most highest families and they refer to you as their "other daughter" I think that you need to know these things or you are going to look like an idiot in front of important people." After I finished my beautiful statement I heard a very unladylike sound come from a very ladylike person.

Lissa.

She had snorted and when I say snorted I mean _snorted_. Like full on pig. I attempted to raise one eyebrow but failed in life. I felt Dimitri shaking under me since I was practically sitting on top of him. He was shaking with effort not to bust out laughing. To keep him in line I threw a glare over my shoulder but it seemed to have the opposite effect that I wanted. Instead of scaring him in silence he smirked at me.I must not of tried hard enough. I tried again.

Nope.

Not going to happen.

To cover for my horrible glare the reading started up again.

_"Yeah, but there's more than just that. Her parents work for one of the Drozdov lords." I waved my hand impatiently. A lot of Moroi worked out in the human world, but Moroi society had plenty of jobs for its own kind too. Someone had to fill them. "Cleaning stuff. Practically servants. Her dad cuts grass, and her mom's a maid."_

Mia's amused look at my attempted save at my pride was thwarted when she heard this.

"I hate people. I knew it was you who started that rumor." She pursed her lips accusingly at me. Like she was actually surprised.

"Well, can you blame me. What with you and I locked in battle."  
Dimitri cut in. "I think thats a little much, Roza."

My sharp tongue was dulled slightly when I heard the nickname he gave me when he was feeling lovey-dovey.  
"My English teacher once said that boys just beat each other up. But with girls we make you wish you weren't ever born."  
I heard a volley of OMG so right. Then laughter.

"But really though we will spread rumors about you, and instead of killing you we kill your soul."

_I actually had a healthy respect for anyone who pulled a full day's work, regardless of the job. People everywhere had to do crappy stuff to make a living. But, much like with Target, it became another matter altogether when someone was trying to pass herself off as something else. And in the week that I'd been here, I'd picked up on how desperately Mia wanted to fit in with the school elite._

My dad had this look of, do I dare say it, pride? on his face. But my mom on the other hand completely looked crushed. She still thought I was immature and childish at this point in time. I couldn't have deep thoughts about putting in a days work.

_"No one knows," I said thoughtfully._

"And I wanted it to stay that way." Mia _humped_ good-naturally and crossed arms over her chest. The cherry on top of this scene was the pout on Mia's face.

"Alls fair in love and war."

_"And she doesn't want them to. You know how the royals are." He paused. "Well, except for Lissa, of course. They'd give Mia a hard time over it."_

Mia threw her hands up in the air and exclaimed, "Thank God for Mason."

"Amen." I said.

_"How do you know all this?"_

_"My uncle's a guardian for the Drozdovs."_

_"And you've just been sitting on this secret, huh?"_

_"Until you broke me. So which path will you choose: good or evil?"_

_"I think I'll give her a grace—"_

_"Miss Hathaway, you know you aren't supposed to be here."_

"Busted." Eddie smirked.

I sighed. "It was only a matter of time." I leaned forward to rest my elbows on my knees. Dimitri's hand started to rub circles into my back. Heaven.

_One of the dorm matrons stood over us, disapproval all over her face._

_I hadn't been joking when I said Mason thought like me. He could bullshit as well as I could. "We have a group project to do for our humanities class. How are we supposed to do it if Rose is in isolation?"_

I sighed thinking about Mason. He really was the male version of me. With freckles. And red hair. And taller. So he was the male version of me in personality. Dimitri snuck and arm around my waist and pulled me into his lap. I could get use to this PDA Dimitri.  
_The matron narrowed her eyes. "You don't look like you're doing work."_

_I slid over the priest's book and opened it at random. I'd placed it on the table when we sat down. "We're, um, working on this."_

Vika snickered. "Nice save, Rose."

I attempted to flip my hair over my shoulder but just ended up whacking Dimitri in the face. He spit out my hair and threw a glare my way. Oh well. He can't complain. He _is_ the reason why I didn't cut my hair.

_She still looked suspicious. "One hour. I'll give you one more hour down here, and I'd better actually see you working."_

_"Yes, ma'am," said Mason straight-faced. "Absolutely."_

_She wandered off, still eyeing us. "My hero," I declared._

_He pointed at the book. "What is this?"_

_"Something the priest gave me. I had a question about the service."_

_He stared at me, astonished._

_"Oh, stop it and look interested." I skimmed the index. "I'm trying to find some woman named Anna."_

_Mason slid his chair over so that he was sitting right beside me. "All right. Let's 'study.' "_

"Blah blah blah. We read an excerpt from the book. Blah blah blah." I was flipping pages until I found what I was looking for. The best line from Mase.

_"There you go," Mason said. "She was his guardian."_

"There that is for you people," look at Sydney, "who need to know what was said."

_"Maybe they were hooking up," he suggested._

The cause me and Eddie ,who knew Mase the best and knew that this is exactly what he would said, crack up laughing. Every other young person cracked a smile and chuckled but everyone who was old enough to be a parent to looked scandalized. Plus Dimitri. For some reason he looked scandalized. Don't know why. I know he's has sex before. From personal experience.

_I laughed. "He was a saint."_

_"So? Saints probably like sex too. That 'brother and sister' stuff is probably a cover." He pointed to one of the lines. "See? They were 'bound' together." He winked. "It's code."_

As much as I loved that kid, he had a sick mind. A sick, sick mind. Very sick. But he was right about one thing.

They were bound.

_Bound. It was a weird word choice, but that didn't necessarily mean Anna and Vladimir were ripping each other's clothes off._

Vika snorted. "Very eloquently put, Rose."

I didn't listen to the comment but made one of my own. "You cannot impress me with bi words. It doesn't work." I think I saw Lissa do something out of the corner of my eye but because I was nice I let it go.

_"I don't think so. They're just close. Guys and girls can just be friends." I said it pointedly, and he gave me a dry look._

I was sooooooooooooooooo stupid.

_"Yeah? We're friends, and I don't know what's in your 'heart and mind.' " Mason put on a fake philosopher's look. "Of course, some might argue that one can never know what's in the heart of a woman—"_

"So true man. SO ture." Comment courtesy of Edison Castile.

Thank you Eddie.

_"Oh, shut up," I groaned, punching him in the arm._

_"For they are strange and mysterious creatures," he continued in his scholarly voice, "and a man must be a mind reader if he ever wishes to make them happy."_

_I started giggling uncontrollably and knew I'd probably get in trouble again. "Well, try to read my mind and stop being such a—"_

I was gonna say something along the lines of ass- something.

I just wanted to finish the chapter so I read fast and didn't let anyone interpret me. _  
I stopped laughing and looked back down at the book._

_Bound together and always knows what is in his heart and mind._

_They had a bond, I realized. I would have bet everything I owned—which wasn't much—on it. The revelation was astonishing. There were lots of vague stories and myths about how guardians and Moroi 'used to have bonds.' But this was the first I'd ever heard of anyone specific that it had happened to._

_Mason had noticed my startled reaction. "You okay? You look kind of weird."_

_I shrugged it off. "Yeah. Fine."_

I breathed a sigh of relief threw the book on the coffee table and slouched against Dimitri. everyone started to drag themselves to bed and don't think I didn't see when Adrian and Sydney left at the same time.

I felt myself get swung into Dimitri's arms and him carrying me back to my apartment. I guess Lissa gave him the spare key.

He laid me down in my bed and I felt the bed dip meaning he got into bed with me. I felt myself being pulled into his arms and drifting off to sleep. It was the best I slept in a long time.


End file.
